Picture a bustling airfield. It’s Marina Airfield in San Francisco. The year is 1920. The roar of airplane engines fills the air. A thrilling era dawns. This humble airfield at Marina Green plays a pivotal role in aviation history. It’s September 9th 1920. A momentous occasion unfolds. The first transcontinental airmail service lands here. Raymond Little pilots the plane. He carries 700 pounds of mail from New York. The event is a triumph. It marks the beginning of a new age of rapid communication.
Before this pivotal moment Marina Airfield has a rich history. It’s been around since 1915. It started as part of the Pan Pacific International Exposition. A tragic event stained the field’s early days. Famous aviator Lincoln Beachey is killed performing stunts. His death shocks the city. The future of air shows is questioned. The airfield however perseveres. Daredevil Art Smith takes over. He thrills the crowds with his death-defying aerial acrobatics. Fireworks light up the night sky. Smith’s shows are legendary. They show the enduring allure of flight.
Marina Airfield doesn’t just witness spectacle. It’s a vital hub for the US Postal Service. It serves as the first terminus for the transcontinental air mail service. The airfield is unpaved. It measures 1500 feet east-west and 500 feet north-south. The planes land on this rough terrain. Gas and oil are readily available. The service however is short-lived. The mail service moves to Crissy Field in just two years. The airfield is abandoned. Its significance is not forgotten.
A fascinating footnote to Marina Airfield’s history is the Hiller XH-44 helicopter. This remarkable aircraft makes its first public flight here in 1944. It is a coaxial helicopter. The first test was actually in Berkeley. Stanley Hiller Jr. a San Francisco native is at the controls. The XH-44 is now in the Smithsonian Institution.
But even before its role in airmail and helicopter history Marina Airfield faced criticism. In 1919 Captain Eddie Rickenbacker and Karl Cooper deemed it unsafe. The proximity of the bay and power lines is a concern. A new municipal aerodrome is proposed. A debate rages. Ultimately the debate ends when Marina Park’s use for an aviation field is deemed unlawful. The airfield’s legacy however remains. The history of Marina Airfield is a story of innovation. It’s also a story of tragedy and progress. It’s a chapter etched in the heart of San Francisco. A chapter that reminds us of the pioneering spirit of early aviation.